There are three Sea of Thieves ship types when you enter the game. The small and sleek Sloop, the large and tanky Galleon, or the well-rounded Brigantine. Each one has its own advantages and disadvantages on the high seas.

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But which one is better? There are strong cases to be made for each ship and a lot of it depends on your circumstance. There are some things to keep in mind if you want to determine which ship is the best in this multiplayer game.

Updated July 16, 2023 By Matthew Mckeown: Some time has passed and Sea of Thieves has continued to add more and more seasonal content, creative skins, and events for budding pirates that are looking for gold and glory. But to do all that you need a ship worthy of your crew.

Unfortunately, there were some incorrect statements made in the original draft of this piece. But we've put together some corrections and tweaks to help make your decision on which is the best ship for you a little easier. So with that in mind, here's an updated look at each boat and its benefits.

4 Sloop

Small Space, Big Speed

Sea Of Thieves: Sloop With Skull Decal On Its Sails

First off, when it comes to the amount of treasure you can take with you on your various boats, the amount is functionally limitless. To a point. It all depends on the square footage available on each ship. For example, chests have no weight, nor collision with other objects on a ship. So you can stack them essentially on top of each other. The same applies to when you're transporting your trinkets on rowboats.

However, the room for storage is substantially more generous with the larger boats as they've got more space to stack your boxes in. For starting out in treasure transporting though, the Sloop is a good place for solo players or small crews as it's functionally just the same as both the Brigante and the Galleon when it comes to storing your booty. But that little boat does come with some risks.

Sea Of Thieves: A Sloop Viewed From Behind

Whilst it excels in maneuverability, able to steer tighter than its bigger brothers, and it does pretty well on speed. It's a pretty flimsy and tiny craft, and bigger boats can shatter them into splinters with a few volleys of cannon fire. So whilst you could fill up your hold with a huge haul, there is that constant risk of a quick trip to the briny deep.

Solo & Duo Play

Sea Of Thieves: A Sloop Drifting By On The Sea

The Sloop was designed with the solo players and partners in mind. The ship is small, single-masted, with short distances to any part of the ship. A single player with enough experience can readily handle all aspects of sailing and fighting.

Two players can get a lot accomplished with a sloop. One of you can manage sailing and fighting while the other can manage repairs and bailing water to prevent the boat from sinking. It’s a great choice if you want to sail solo or take a friend with you on the high seas.

Evasive Fighter

Sea Of Thieves: Sloops In Combat On The Open Sea

In battle, the Sloop is an elusive foe. It uses its speed and incredible maneuverability to dart around bigger targets. Against Galleons, a skilled Sloop captain can hide in the cannons' blind spots and use the ship's girth against it.

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Brigantines are a little more problematic, but the Sloop can stay ahead of the cannon blasts and dart in and out of range. In either case, the Sloop will slowly wear opponents down by chipping away at the hull or waiting for the enemy to run out of cannonballs.

3 Brigantine

A Medium Sized Middle Of The Road Pick

Sea Of Thieves: The Brigantine Sailing Towards Shore

Because Brigantines have a larger cargo capacity than Sloops, if you keep that note about square footage in mind, they seem like they're obviously going to make more per run. But again because the amount you can store is functionally infinite, its extra size doesn't really mean much economically.

However, it does allow you to get creative with more hiding spots should someone come on board. They also have the advantage of being able to tackle Galleons a bit more efficiently than a Sloop, which means your profits have a better chance at being sold as your ship can take a few extra hits without going down. Overall, if you want to make sure your goods get to market intact, then the Brigantine is the best middle-of-the-road choice for a ship.

Solo & Team Play

Sea Of Thieves: The Brigantine Sailing On The Sea

The Brigantine sits between the Galleon and Sloop in terms of crew size. The most it can support is three people. One player steers and fights, another bails and possibly repairs, and the third can either dedicate to repairs or help with the fighting. It’s an efficient distribution of roles.

The Brigantine can also be piloted by a single player. This does require a tremendous amount of skill and timing, however. It’s also strongly discouraged in PVP encounters. Still, for solo players or duos wanting to sail something larger than a Sloop or three players that don’t want to tackle a Galleon, the Brigantine is a great choice.

Well Rounded Speed

Sea Of Thieves: A Brigantine Sailing Nearby

The Brigantine sits between both ships in terms of speed. It’s faster than the Galleon against the wind and faster than the Sloop with the wind. As a result, it has the most options when trying to escape battle or things like Kraken encounters.

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The other side of that coin is that it has a hard time chasing down targets. Under ideal conditions, the Sloop and the Galleon can outrun a Brigantine. Still, if you want equal speed regardless of which way the wind is blowing, the Brigantine is the best ship.

Balanced Fighter

Sea Of Thieves: A Brigantine Battling A Sloop

The Brigantine sits between the two other ships in combat. Against Sloops, it can take a few hits and have a better time getting the small ship in its sights. Against Galleons, it can dart around just enough to avoid the worst of the barrages and the three-man crew can hold its own against four.

These advantages are only present if the Brigantine has a skilled team of three. A solo or duo will struggle and a three-person team of unskilled players will go down to either a Sloop or Galleon. But with a solid three-person team it’s a startlingly effective fighter in any situation.

2 Galleon

Big Boat, Big Guns, Big Target

Sea Of Thieves: A Galleon Anchored Outside An Island

If you want to make the most money possible per trip then the Galleon is a good choice for a big group, but a nightmare for solo players. The biggest issue is their size since there's a lot of space, multiple floors, and three sails to manage at once. But they do have a lot of cannons.

So it's a lot of plates to keep spinning. You're also hard to hide, so it makes you a bigger target to other privateers. Although it's extra cannons and sturdier hulls will ensure you'll at least be able to put up a fight if anyone takes you and your crew on.

Team Play

Sea Of Thieves: A Galleon With Killer Instinct Themed Sales

The Galleon boasts a crew size of up to four players, the most of any vessel in the game. For those wanting to do battle on the high seas with a small group, this ship is a fantastic choice. One player can bail water, another on repairs, one dedicated to cannons and repelling boarders, with the final player both sailing and helping in battle. A four-player volley of guns is absolutely devastating to even the strongest enemies.

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The Galleon does need at least three people to keep it afloat. In battle scenarios, the captain will also be tasked with doing all the fighting as there does need to be a designated bailer and repairer. By and large, it’s a four-player ship.

Fastest With Wind

Sea Of Thieves: A Galleon With Skull And Cross Bone Sails

The Galleon is the fastest ship in the game when it’s sailing with the wind. With full sails and a bulky body, it gives a lot for the wind to push against. Under ideal sailing conditions, this thing really picks up speed.

It is the slowest in the game when going against the wind so it’ll have a tough time chasing down escaping Sloops or running from a Brigantine. It also makes certain routes annoying if the wind isn’t blowing just right.

Tank With Teeth

Sea Of Thieves: A Sea Battle Between Boats

The Galleon is a beast on the high seas. It can take quite the pounding and unleash devastating barrages of its own. Against Sloops, it can quickly sink them in a volley or two if it can bring the cannons to bear and Brigantines don’t last much longer.

Of course, getting those targets within a cannon’s sights is another matter. Galleons aren’t the most maneuverable of ships. But with patience and a clever captain, it’s possible and boarding with a four-man crew is also an effective option.

1 Final Thoughts

Sea Of Thieves: A Sloop, Brigantine And Galleon Floating Together

In the end, the best ship will depend on your needs. If you want to sail solo and fight other players, then the Sloop is best. A duo can use a Sloop very effectively in PVP or manage well enough in a Brigantine. A three-person team will do better in a Brigantine for PVP and can manage a Galleon for everything else. The four-person team needs the Galleon.

The size and skill of the team will define which is the best ship in the game. The best solo Sloop captains can take down a Galleon, a skilled three-person Brigantine crew can cause everyone trouble, and a well-coordinated four-person crew on a Galleon can instill fear in anyone.

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